Bearing assemblies are known that comprise an at least two-rowed roller bearing having at least one outer ring, at least one inner ring and at least two rows of roller bodies disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring. At least one of the bearing rings may define at least two adjacently-disposed tracks for the two rows of roller bodies. A radially-extending flange configured to abut the axial ends of the axially-adjacent roller bodies may disposed between each two tracks.
Two or more parallel rows of roller bodies are provided in order to be able to support large bearing forces. For example, a four-rowed cylindrical roller bearing can support large radial forces and can be utilized to rotatably support a rotor of a wind turbine. Such bearings can also be utilized, e.g., to rotatably support a gear wheel of a transmission, such that large radial loads on a shaft for the gear wheel can be supported. In such an embodiment, helical-cut spur gears are, in most cases, utilized in the transmission and are required in planetary gear transmissions. Therefore, in addition to the radial loads, axial loads must also be supported when such bearing designs are utilized. By providing the radial-extending flange(s) on the bearing rings, the axial ends of the roller bodies (e.g., cylindrical rollers) can axially abut on the flange(s) of the bearing ring so as to also support axial loads.